Chapter 13: Blue-eyed Fox Millennium Corpse
Wu Xie had just whispered to Lin Yan when Panzi also leaned over: “Third Master Xiao, this woman looks like a living person, but I don’t dare to be sure. There are too many strange things underground in this tomb. Do you think we should save her?”
Hearing this, Wu Xie turned to look at Lin Yan again. Lin Yan was stumped for a moment. If he said to save her, the plot had already changed—what if Wu Xie really got killed? No one could say for sure if A Ning would kill Wu Xie for her own goal after being saved. She had done such ungrateful things in the future before. But if they didn’t save her, these were things that hadn’t happened yet. Current A Ning hadn’t done anything. It seemed unreasonable to stand by and let her die. As a successful case of Nine-Year Compulsory Education who strictly practiced the socialist core values with Five Lectures and Four Beauties, Lin Yan felt he couldn’t just watch someone die, even if that person might be a murderer who would attempt to kill people around him multiple times in the future.
So he handed this dilemma to Wu Xie: “What do you say, if this person—I mean if, it’s not something that has already happened—if this woman tries to kill you several times in the future, would you save her now?”
Wu Xie fell silent for a few seconds upon hearing this: “Lin Yan, did you see something? In the future, does she try to kill me? Then… did she fail?”
Lin Yan was silent, nodded, then closed his eyes.
As long as I don’t see it, it’s not standing by and letting her die!
Wu Xie’s clear voice rang in his ear: “Then let’s save her. I can’t do something like standing by and letting her die.”
He opened his eyes in surprise, looking at Wu Xie beside him who was seriously watching him, as if seeing a living statue of the Holy Mother.
Wu Xie smiled at his expression: “Don’t look at me like that. I’m not a fool. If she really tries to kill me in the future, I won’t sit idly by. But at least now, I can’t just watch her die right in front of me. The future hasn’t happened yet. Now that I know, I can try to avoid it, right? If we don’t save her now, wouldn’t that be indirectly killing her? Life is precious, no matter whose it is. I won’t let others kill me, but I won’t be an indirect murderer either.”
Lin Yan pondered for two seconds.
As expected of Third Master Xiao. What he said makes sense—he almost convinced him! It had the flavor of those scheming old foxes later on! I don’t attack unless provoked; if provoked, I must retaliate… Eh? He never seemed to actively harm anyone later. Even after experiencing so many despairing things, he never actively harmed or exploited anyone.
It could only be said, as expected of Wu Xie. Only such a Wu Xie had the charm to make Fatty and Zhang Qiling stay by his side, to make Hua Er Ye and Huo Xiuxiu go bankrupt for him, to make Panzi risk life and death for him.
No matter how many things he experienced, his heart remained pure and transparent, like that of a newborn child.
In this instant, looking at Wu Xie’s still somewhat immature face, Lin Yan felt an impulse to accompany him all the way. He wanted Wu Xie’s future path to not be so bumpy, for him to not experience so many farewells, for him to lose fewer things, fewer people.
Of course, this impulse was sealed deep in his mind the next second. Who was he? In this world, he might not even have an identity. Before crossing over, he was just an ordinary person who honestly went through Nine-Year Compulsory Education, three years of high school, four years of university, one year of master’s, then joined a small private company doing a nine-to-five job—ordinary to the extreme. After crossing over, even if his blood was a bit special, even if he was half a human lie detector, essentially he was just an ordinary person who knew a bit of the plot, and now the plot had changed with someone appearing who shouldn’t be here.
Was he really going to follow the protagonist half-understanding like this? How could he? He wasn’t Fatty, who had rolled and crawled in the circle for years and stood firm; he wasn’t Xiaoge, with such great skills and bloodline, plus memories that revived at key moments; he wasn’t even Wu Xie. He didn’t even know much history, let alone those mechanisms, inscriptions, and patterns that would be key to survival later. Everyone who could participate in the plot had some special skill to a greater or lesser extent. Even Wu Xie, with the worst skills, had the broadest knowledge among them, even knowing things Zhang Qiling didn’t, and could escape by himself at critical moments.
But him? As someone whose blood might be a bit special—special mainly for Zhang Qiling—he was the most prone to accidents. Even following the plot, who could guarantee it wouldn’t change? From the moment he entered this tomb, the plot had changed! If he continued participating half-understanding, he might inexplicably die in some tomb someday.
Reborn in a new world, some might choose to live spectacularly—even he had the impulse to try. But after all, it was just impulse. Compared to tomb raiding with constant life-threatening danger, he preferred to live steadily in another world. It might lack passion, but light as clouds and wind, occasionally watching flowers bloom and fall, clouds roll and stretch— wasn’t such a life good? Why actively involve himself in things beyond his ability?
So, he looked somewhat wistfully at Wu Xie’s bright eyes. Wu Xie, Third Master Xiao, Little Innocent—after getting out alive from here, perhaps we’d greet each other smiling like old friends upon meeting again, but we probably wouldn’t meet again outside of normal life.
I hope your future life won’t be changed by me. You’ll walk the path you’re meant to, experience separations and deaths time and again, grow time and again, seek the truth in your heart, become that much more excellent person later who never forgets his original intention. That person to whom everyone entrusts hope, who takes up the burden left by the older generation of the Nine Gates, pursuing the path they walked. I hope you experience less despair, even less…
Even without my involvement.
“Lin Yan, Lin Yan? What are you thinking? Your expression is so… strange?” Lin Yan snapped back and saw Wu Xie waving his hand in front of his eyes, his face full of rejection. He thought about his earlier expression—probably a bit kindly? Damn! Though when reading the book, watching the protagonist grow felt like nurturing a son, and sometimes he unconsciously treated the protagonist like a son, but face-to-face—cough, skip skip! Every guy wants to be someone’s dad! Yeah! That’s it!
“Cough, nothing, just remembered some things. So, Little Innocent, are you sure you want to save her?” Lin Yan threw the strange thought from earlier to the back of his mind, straightened his expression, and solemnly asked again.
When Wu Xie answered him before, he subconsciously lowered his voice, afraid that what Lin Yan could “foresee” would be heard by them. Hiding from Fatty was understandable, but hiding from Panzi meant their life-and-death friendship from the desperate run earlier took precedence. Wu Xie’s voice was so low that neither Panzi nor Fatty heard, so when Lin Yan asked this time, both turned their gazes over, waiting for Wu Xie’s final decision.
“Save her!” Wu Xie nodded solemnly. Facing the worry in Lin Yan’s words, he stuck to his decision.
“But one problem… can you not call me Little Innocent? It sounds like calling a kid.”
Panzi and Fatty nodded. Panzi began looking around for places to step across, while Fatty thoughtfully rubbed his chin: “You say, when did this chick come down? How come I didn’t encounter them?”
Wu Xie thought for a moment: “Before we came down, we encountered an abandoned camp. The guide old man said those people entered the mountain about two weeks ahead of us. Including time to find the tomb, probably a week or so. If no one else, it was probably that group.”
By now Panzi had found the way across—accurately, vines. He called Wu Xie and the others over.
“Third Master Xiao, look, go across from here, up to there, then flip up this vine from here, and you can cut the vine above this woman. Then someone catches below and it’s done.” After speaking, Panzi looked at Lin Yan, then at Fatty. Seeing Lin Yan’s pale face from excessive blood loss, he really didn’t seem fit for this, so he finally fixed his gaze on Fatty.
Fatty grinned at him: “Alright, Fatty Ye will help you one more time. Remember to settle the bill when out. Saving people is a business Fatty Ye rarely does—consider yourselves lucky!”
Wu Xie smiled and shook his head: “Okay, when out, let her settle with you. Paying to save your own life is no issue, right?” He pointed at the woman with no movement, sorted his equipment, and prepared to climb.
Who would have thought that after just two steps of climbing, he felt something moving underfoot, lost his balance, and could only cling to the vine.
“What thing?”
Lin Yan’s eyes widened. He saw the tip of the vine Wu Xie was climbing on extending from the cave, wrapping back toward him.
“Wu Xie, come down quick! That vine is alive!”
“Alive?” Wu Xie hadn’t reacted yet when he felt his ankle grabbed. Looking back, it was the small hand that grabbed him in the stone chamber before! This small hand was almost the same color as the vine, just the hand a bit lighter, the vine closer to dark brown. Clearly, these two things came from the same source! Which meant in a flash he realized something—why that small hand could move freely in the tomb: their body was this tree of unknown size right in front of him! If he had been grabbed by that small hand before, he would have been hung upside down on the vine like this woman!
But by the time he figured it out, it was too late. He felt his ankle tighten, and his whole body was flung onto who knows how many vines before swaying to a stop. He only felt the world spinning, his whole body aching from unknown bumps, nearly passing out directly.
In a daze, he seemed to hear someone shouting his name—calling Third Master Xiao was probably Panzi, calling Wu Xie was Fatty? Or Lin Yan?
After who knows how long, he finally heard clearly.
“Wu Xie! Little Wu Xie! Little Innocent! Haven’t passed out? Respond if you hear!” Lin Yan watched the vine holding Wu Xie’s foot swinging him like a roller coaster until it finally stopped at a position. Below seemed to be a platform with something unknown on it—too far, flashlight couldn’t see clearly. So he could only keep calling Wu Xie, hoping his consciousness would clear for self-rescue.
“I’m fine, just a bit dizzy!” Wu Xie finally mustered the breath to reply, sounding weak.
Lin Yan breathed a sigh of relief. Good thing he’s okay—don’t fail to save A Ning and lose Wu Xie instead. Fortunately, Wu Xie was fine in the end.
Speaking of A Ning, Lin Yan looked toward where she was before, but saw nothing. All attention had been on Wu Xie earlier; maybe the swinging vine flung her out too. He hurriedly searched around and finally saw her on the ground not far away, cushioned by a layer of vines. She still looked half-dead as before, but not like she was hurt.
This luck is even more protagonist than the protagonist. Lin Yan had a face full of black lines. Good thing no need to worry about saving her now—just figure out how to save Wu Xie.
Well, with the vines making trouble, the one who needed saving doesn’t anymore, and the savior needs saving. When Third Master Xiao gets ruthless, he even pits himself!
Lin Yan carefully descended from the cliff edge holding a previously unmoving vine, avoiding the sub-vines covering the underground layer, heading toward the platform under Wu Xie. Panzi’s leg wound was too severe; to come down he’d need Fatty’s help. The two followed behind Lin Yan.
Lin Yan reached the platform edge and finally saw clearly with the flashlight. There were two corpses on the platform, estimated one male one female. The male wore a bronze mask; the female had a serene face, lifelike as if merely sleeping.
He looked up and estimated, shouting to Wu Xie who was striving pulling himself up holding a dagger to cut the vine: “Wu Xie, don’t rush down yet! If you come down now you’ll smash onto these two corpses! Wait for me to move them then come down!”
Wu Xie turned and saw Lin Yan reaching to drag the ancient corpse’s foot, hurriedly stopping him: “Don’t move them first! What if there’s a mechanism under the corpses? Don’t trigger a jumping corpse! I can control my descent to land between them! Then just avoid the corpses and leave! Stand farther away, don’t let me bring you down when I land!”
“Okay!” Lin Yan thought it made sense too—too many strange things in ancient tombs, better be careful. Since Wu Xie said so, he was confident. The two corpses were quite far apart, enough space for one person. Wu Xie should be fine coming down. So he obediently stepped aside, only to see Wu Xie slash with the dagger in hand. The vine grabbing him jerked up, his center of gravity shifted, and he fell straight onto the female corpse! Eye to eye, mouth to mouth!
Lin Yan’s eyes bulged. If he had a mobile phone, he’d take a photo! After going out, caption it something like “Shocking! Millennium love ends like this!”—probably top clickbait in minutes!
Thinking too far! He quickly walked a few steps to Wu Xie to help him up. But as he lifted Wu Xie’s body, the female corpse lifted with him. Instantly, both froze unmoving.
Fatty supporting Panzi walked up to them: “Eh? Young comrade Wu Xie, why haven’t you gotten up? Reluctant to leave this beauty? Your taste is good, just not alive.”
Wu Xie wanted to cry: “Fatty, stop watching! My clothes seem caught there. Quick separate me from her! No matter how pretty, she’s dead! Who knows how many years old corpse—I wouldn’t go that desperate!”
Fatty chuckled: “Not necessarily hahahaha!” Laughing while honestly helping separate the caught clothes. Once separated, Lin Yan hurriedly set down the supported female corpse.
Wu Xie felt time dragging. Finally free, he jumped up, but saw Lin Yan’s hand just releasing the female corpse—maybe touching some mechanism—the female corpse’s hand swung, knocking off the bronze mask on the nearby male corpse!
He hurriedly turned away, but still saw that fox-like face and those two emerald green eyes.
“My god!” He heard Fatty scream: “Don’t look at his eyes! That’s a Green-Eyed Fox Corpse!”
Lin Yan wanted to turn away, but it was too late. He locked eyes directly with the green in that narrow slit. Nothing would happen, right? He quickly looked away, but those two ghostly green eyes lingered in his mind.
Fatty, who had flipped down the platform, was explaining what a Green-Eyed Fox Corpse was. Wu Xie exclaimed endlessly beside him. Everything seemed normal; he didn’t look like he had hallucinations as in legends. The voice could be hallucination, but the person in front of him couldn’t be, right?
He hurriedly went over and pinched Wu Xie’s arm. Wu Xie yelped in pain: “Lin Yan, what are you doing?”
He nodded: “Seems not a hallucination.”
Wu Xie grabbed his shoulders anxiously: “You didn’t look at that fox corpse’s eyes, did you? You got hit?”
Lin Yan gave him a look and brushed his hand off: “If I got hit, would you feel pain?”
Wu Xie thought: “True. So the legend is fake?”
Lin Yan thought, nodded: “Probably? If real, we’d both be affected by now.”
Wu Xie felt he was right, no longer dwelling on this topic, turning to study the female corpse. When he got up earlier, he saw her mouth suddenly open with something inside. He squatted back by the female corpse, calling Lin Yan to look.
“Lin Yan, look. When I got up earlier, I saw something in her mouth. Want to check?”
“What thing?” Lin Yan curiously squatted beside him and saw half a key exposed in the female corpse’s slightly open mouth, with something more behind.
Wu Xie held the dagger against the female corpse’s mouth; Lin Yan shone the flashlight inside.
“Seems like a key? There’s a bead behind, don’t know what it’s for.”
“So, should we take it out? Might trigger a mechanism? Like the corpse turning to ash after we do?”
Before Lin Yan answered, Wu Xie heard a familiar voice from below the platform.
“Don’t move. Your hands have blood qi; entering the mouth will immediately make it rise as a corpse. Don’t mess around.”
“Third Uncle?!”
Unintentionally wrote longer and longer; plot deviating again. Begging for recommendation votes!
